An ergot alkaloid obtained from cultures of fungi parasitic on Elymus mollis Trin.: Abe et al., US 2835675 (1958). Found in fungi parasitic on Pennisetum typhoideum Rich.: Stoll et al., Helv. Chim. Acta 37, 1815 (1954). Structure and stereochemistry: Schreier, Helv. Chim. Acta 41, 1984 (1958). Biosyntheses utilizing Claviceps cultures: Naidoo et al., Chem. Commun. 1970, 472; Ogunlana et al., ibid. 775; Seiler et al., ibid. 1394; Cavender, Anderson, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 208, 345 (1970).